I’ve had some reviews for M.A.C samples that were sent over that were extemely overdue for posting. So I’ve decided to combine them together to create one big post. Regular readers will know I’m a M.A.C girl. However for some weird reason I’ve always associated their products as being mainly for professional use by make up artists so I usually play it safe and stick to their foundation, cream blush and lip gloss. After testing and playing around with all the samples I can safely say I’ve been under an illusion which has resulted in me missing out, big time. So what’s the deal with the samples? Well they’ve developed four new lines, Rushmetal, Flashtronics, Painterly and 3D. Naturally some of the products from the collections just weren’t for me but quite a few were amazing and I made some wonderful discoveries. I’ve compiled a summary of each range with my recommendations.

Painterly: Cream Eye Shadows, $16
I used my fingers to apply the cream eyeshadows which is probably a beauty faux pas but worked just fine for me and was quite surprised at how incredibly easy they were to apply. So easy in fact, that it made combining colours in the collection simple and fun. The majority of shades were wearable and resulted in a frosted effect. Now I’m going to be slightly unconventional and recommend the shade Groundwork, both as an eye shadow , as is its intended use – and for the lips. I dabbed it slightly on my lips and applied clear lip gloss on top. The end result was superb and natural with a tinge of frost. Because the formula – made from Carnuba butter and Thixcin wax – is intended for long lasting application I found I didn’t have to reapply for ages.

Rushmetal: Metallic Pigments, $19.50 and Lipsticks, $14

This collection was my least favourite of the four. The pigments ranged from rich copper, warm orange, olive green and tan gold tones which when combined did create some striking looks but I prefer my make up to be modest so for me the shades were quite harsh and loud. If you do love your metallics then this line is perfect for you. After experimenting with all eight pigments, I found four which created a look great for a night out. These were Gold Mode, Revved-Up, Cocomotion and Quickfrost. The lipsticks I loved. This brings me to my recommendation, the gorgeous Fast lane, a mauve shade with a silver pearl undertone. It’s a perfect compliment to most day looks and gives a smooth polished look to the lips.

Flashtronics: Mineral Eye Shadows, $14, Skinfinishes, $24.50 and Lipglass, $14

The real gem in this range are the skin finishes which can be applied on the eyes face or body thus making them excellent value for money. I’m totally addicted and have been using shades Northern light and Global glow as blushers. The compliments have been endless! They give a stunning glow to the cheeks and really illuminate the skin. To complete the look I applied the neutral pink, Young Spark lipglass. However as much as I’ve been gushing over the skin finishes my recommendation from this collection is in fact a mineral eye shadow by the name of Ether. Its a deep aqua shade with hints of silver, black and gold which really brought out the colour of my eyes.

3D Lip Glass: Collection of lipglosses, $14

I enjoyed sampling this line the most. Ladies if you want your lips kissable you must try at least one of these lip glosses. They are super shiny and non sticky are overly, the formula in the 3D glass moisturises and feels lovely. Aside from the oranges and bright reds the rest of the colours were fabulous. I loved too many of the colours to recommend only one so here are my favourites: Energy, Lightswitch, Backlit, Touchpoint, and Optical.

All available at all M.A.C locations, and www.maccosmetics.com